Priceless
by Tofuu
Summary: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Sephiroth, doesn’t make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth’s offer to pass Leon, but not without a price. [LC RS SephyCloud]
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Priceless

**Summary**: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Dr. Sephiroth, doesn't make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth's offer to pass Leon, but not without a price from Cloud. LC, RS, SephyCloud

A/N: First off, I'll have you know that I'm only a senior in high school, so I don't know much about college life. I'm also not an expert on dyslexia, but I did my best by doing a bit of research on it. So please excuse any inaccurate details that I may have.

---------------

**Chapter 1**

A long, thin, metal indicator hit the edge of the desk with a sharp '_thwap_!' and the room snapped to attention. The professor glanced about his small class of sixteen, serenely, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a slight, cold smile. He locked eyes briefly with a young man with blonde, spiked hair and a cut, toned form. Normally, any ordinary person would have felt himself shrink under Sephiroth's sharp, keen stare, thoroughly intimidated by those icy, pale emerald eyes. This particular individual, however, returned the stare calmly with persistent blue eyes, a small flare of defiance lit up in them. Sephiroth's smile widened, and he looked away to address the class.

"I see that Victorian Literature is not the most popular course here at Destiny Islands University, and with very good reason, as well." He began pleasantly. "Under my direction, this is a course that will challenge and push your limits to the extreme. I expect no less than the level of professionalism in conduct and effort in here, and I most certainly do not give any slack." His eyes glanced down at his desk for a moment before looking up again. "Mr Lionhart." He called out.

"Yes, Professor." Leon looked up. Sephiroth examined him for a moment before speaking.

"I have a notice here saying that one of my students is hindered with a disability. Dyslexia, specifically."

All eyes turned to glance at Leon, who did not even flinch, in curiosity, except from one pair. Cloud, who had attended high school with Leon, knew what to expect. Dyslexia was not well understood on the island and therefore, many had viewed Leon as an incompetent student.

"I will have you know now," Sephiroth said slowly. "That I do not give 'special treatment' to anyone. You took this course, knowing your own difficulties, and therefore I expect the result of your work to be no different than any other in here."

_Yep. A complete ass_. Cloud thought to himself feeling particularly bitter towards Sephiroth for the way he singled out Leon. Apparently Leon felt the same way.

"If I wanted special treatment, sir, there would've been no reason for me to seek it in a Victorian Literature course." Leon articulated coldly.

"Good." Sephiroth said softly. "Now, what are our goals for this course? Number one, _know_ _thyself_. Self awareness is essential…"

Cloud glanced sideways at Leon who appeared to be listening intently, determined to prove himself worthy. Yet the angry, contorted eyebrows slowly relaxed as the professor continued to lecture. A tranquil expression found its place on Leon's face and Cloud could only study his softened features, enraptured by the sudden tenderness he found.

Cloud found an indicator before his eyes, and he slowly looked up.

"Mr Strife." Sephiroth said with some amusement in his voice. "Will you repeat our second goal? Or were you too busy staring at a potential lover? If anything, your attention should be on _me_."

A few excited titters came from the girls in the room. Leon raised an eyebrow at Cloud inquisitively, as well.

Cloud glared back with confidence and recited what he had just heard. "Know that which is greater than the ego. Better awareness of the world beyond the ego, beyond the conscious self, enables the writer…"

"That's enough." Sephiroth stopped Cloud, smiling in an eerie manner.

Cloud smirked.

-------

"My name is Vincent, and I will be your waiter this evening." A man with fashionably untidy black hair that was kept semi-long stood before the table of six.

Selphie giggled, "So I see you've gotten a job here, Vincey! You look so adorable in that little waiter getup! And wow! Looks like you've finally cut your hair! Any particular reason?"

"The manager told me it wasn't very sanitary." Vincent replied crossly, clearly irritated about the situation. "What can I get you?" He asked dully.

"Water." Replied the table in unison, except for one.

"I want the paopu slushy!" Selphie said loudly. Vincent shuffled off. "Isn't he just darling?"

"So…how are classes?" Tidus asked.

"Oh!" Aerith beamed. "We visited Sora's class at Palmville High!" She was studying to become a high school teacher.

"And how is the little twerp?" Cloud asked, toying with the cloth napkin. Aerith flushed, emerald green eyes blinking rapidly.

"I don't think it's my business to say…"

Cloud wrinkled his eyebrows. "What…? What are you—."

"Loud as ever, Cloud." Riku interrupted. A confused Cloud turned to look at Riku, who merely rolled his eyes. "You asked how Sora was."

"Well of course he's loud—I don't understand—."

"He means in BED, Cloud. BOY, are you clueless sometimes." Selphie giggled, twirling her hair.

"You mean you…" Cloud looked at Riku, who was wearing a proud smirk. "They…" He turned to look at the others. "Sora…" He turned back to Riku and let out a groan. "Ah…aw man…I'm getting some really disturbing images…oh god…tell me you guys aren't…Riku, I'm gonna—and Aerith! What did you see! Riku's in college now! How could he…!"

"If I'd give up the world for Sora, I could more easily give up a psychology course." Riku said simply with a shrug, as if it were the most logical thing ever.

"Well, what's the big deal, Cloud?" Tidus asked. "They're just normal teenagers with normal, raging hormones that do perfectly normal teenage things—."

"Perfectly _normal_?"

Selphie rolled his eyes. "Aw, c'mon Cloud! Don't play dumb! You know it happens. Just because it wasn't normal for _you_ in high school doesn't mean—."

"Forget it." Cloud snapped. "My younger brother's sexual endeavors are NOT something I want to be discussing. But if Sora gets any STDs…" Cloud glared at Riku.

"Protection, Cloud. Protection." Riku grinned.

"Saf_er_, but not _safe_." Cloud shot back.

"SO," Tidus cut in. A change of topic was definitely in order. "How's the gig at the café, Selph?"

Selphie proudly patted her saxophone case. "Great! Pays real well I'll tell ya…"

Cloud looked over at Leon who had remained silent the whole time. He had pulled out a clean sheet of paper and was holding a pen as if he was about to write. Something was wrong, however. Leon's hand wasn't moving, and he seemed to be experiencing a bit of inner turmoil, eyebrows etched in a frown and eyes that were lost in a stormy sea. It was one of those moments, and Cloud contemplated on what to do. He could intervene, but risk becoming the target of the brunette's anger.

"_I'm not an _**idiot**_." _Cloud guessed would be Leon's gruff response. However, he couldn't just leave the distressing scene as it was.

"Leon…" Cloud broke the staring contest between Leon and the paper, gently, and Leon looked up to meet warm, sincere blue eyes. Cloud quietly took the paper and confiscated the pen from Leon's hand.

_Leon Lionhart_. He wrote neatly at the top, and handed it back to Leon with a small smile, carefully watching Leon's unchanging expression.

Leon said nothing and studied Cloud's writing, as if he was trying to permanently engrave the memory of his written name into his mind. There were times when Leon suddenly just wasn't able to write his name. It was as if he had completely forgotten, or that he was simply nameless.

Funny how Leon was so intellectual, so capable of perception and insight in literary context, Cloud thought. But the simplest of things that Leon found himself unable to do seemed to confuse him more than the spelling of 'onomatopoeia' ever would.

"Thanks." Leon finally said with ease. Short and simple, it was all that Cloud needed to hear.

------

"You know, Leon." Cloud began seriously, admiring his reflection in the mirror. "If you ever need help, I'm here."

Lying on the bed, Leon was reading a novel he had in hand and raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Sure Cloud, if I ever need help on my prissy-girl act, you'll be the first person I turn to."

Cloud rolled his eyes as he strode across the room and flopped down on his own bed. "You _know_ what I'm talking about."

A sigh escaped from Leon as he continued to read. "Listen…don't fret your pretty little head over it."

"I don't know…" A touch of worry was present in Cloud's voice. "This guy…Sephiroth? Sounds like trouble."

Another sigh. He looked up from his reading. "Cloud…I didn't get this far in my education to let a prick stop me. It won't hap—what the _hell_ are you _wearing_?" Leon ogled at Cloud as if he were mad. And it was possible that he was.

"Oh…this?" Cloud held out the sleeves that were slightly too long. Tiny chocobos and swords were printed all over the baby blue PJs that Cloud was donning. "Why?" He asked nervously, licking his lower lip. "You think it's too…girly?"

Leon nearly choked upon replying. "Well…no, Cloud. It looks very…macho man-ish. It uh…brings out the color of your eyes." Cloud beamed.

To be honest, Leon thought that Cloud was as cute as a button in his oversized sleepwear, although he would never reveal the fact. Cloud would've probably been disgruntled, knowing that he gave off such an image, so therefore, Leon could only assure Cloud that he still looked like a man in those clothes.

Shaking his head, Leon decided the end the conversation. "Right. So, like I said. None of your business, so go shove that spiky head of yours up someone else's."

------

Leon bit his bottom lip, displeased. He had been staring at his laptop screen for a few hours now, and was nearly concluded with his assignment, but the red lines strewn throughout his work, as a result of spell check, troubled him greatly. He sighed, running a tired hand through shaggy brown hair. Even with the possibly correct choices that Microsoft Word would provide him, he still couldn't be too sure which ones were right, and which ones weren't. He wasn't one to plead another for help, however. Sometimes it was beyond his pride to do so, and as a result, he would not only see red marks on the computer, but red marks on his printed copy as well, once they were graded.

He desperately wished for someone to check his mistakes, loathing the thought of Sephiroth smirking at him as his paper was handed back. On the other hand, he also hated the thought of submitting to the aid of another. It made him feel as if his work wasn't his completely. But still…he wasn't sure.

"Cloud! Cloud!" The door to the dorm room opened abruptly and a boy stood there, out of breath. Leon turned to stare at Sora, whose excitement was replaced with slight confusion. "My brother's not here?" He asked.

"No." Leon confirmed.

"Oh…I see…" Awkward silence filled the room, as the two didn't know what to say to each other. Sora was usually intimidated by Leon's cool demeanor despite all the times that Cloud told him that Leon was really a softie on the inside. Leon was simply just a man of few words. Even if he did have any small talk to make, he was usually lost in the depths of Sora's blue eyes, in awe of their striking resemblance to Cloud's. The spiky hair was similar as well, only Sora's was a bit more boyish, just like everything else about him.

The gray eyes averted their glance and Leon collected himself. "What business do you have here?"

"I just…wanted to tell Cloud that I made the Blitzball team." Sora was grinning himself silly now.

Leon raised his eyebrows, nodding. "Impressive. I'll be sure to mention it to your brother."

"Hey…what's taking so long, Sora?" A rich, tenor voice appeared on the scene and soon, Riku was poking his head into the room and glaring at Leon comically. "Is the ol' grouch picking on you, Sora?"

"Riku…" Leon warned.

"Right, right, we'll be going now. Come along, Sory-poo …"

"I _told_ you not to call me that!"

"Oops, forget. Sorry, sugar babe."

"**Riku**!"

The voices faded away down into the hallway. And Leon returned reluctantly to face the computer screen. For a while, he mindlessly right clicked away on all the marked errors to review the possibly correct choices he had. But it was utterly pointless, and he knew it.

------

A door slowly clicked shut as a young blonde man stole into the room. Quietly, he set a full brown bag on the bed and softly treaded across the tile floor, making his way towards the brunette, who was now fast asleep in front of his computer. Kneeling down, the man rested his chin on his arms, which he casually leaned on edge of the table with while blue eyes silently peered at the slumbering face in earnest admiration. Mentally, he traced the flawless contours of the smooth face, handsome features perfected in every aspect. Vulnerable, was how the brunette appeared when all his defenses, which he so carefully built, gradually retreated in the wake of sweet oblivion, baring everything underneath. As far as the blonde could tell, there really was no reason to hide this natural tenderness. Perhaps Leon had always thought of it as a weakness, rather.

Brown eyebrows furrowed, and then relaxed. In a sudden motion, Leon pushed himself off the desk, sitting up straight, a look of slight bewilderment present on his face as if he had lost track of whom and where he was.

"…Cloud?"

Cloud lifted his head and smiled sheepishly. "Just got back." He stood up and walked towards his bed, unloading the contents of the bag and beginning to place select items in the mini refrigerator. "I did some grocery shopping." And he held up an apple as if to prove his point.

"I see." Leon looked away from Cloud and turned to find himself greeted by the Word document that he had been working on. "Oh." Realization dawned on him. "Your brother stopped by."

"He did?" The spiky-haired blonde looked up in interest.

Leon nodded. "Wanted you to know he made the Blitzball team."

A delighted smile graced Cloud's face as he reached into the bag for a carton of vanilla ice cream. "I guess that's no surprise. So what've you been doing?" Cloud was busying himself with sorting some yogurt by flavor and expiration date.

"Victorian lit essay." Leon replied dully.

"Want any help?" Cloud offered.

Leon thought about this. Did it really matter he had a myriad of spelling errors? Perhaps not. He felt that his thesis could stand well enough alone. "…No." He finally answered. "I'm finished."

"You sure?" Cloud raised an eyebrow at Leon's essay, noticing all the red marks.

"Positive." Leon said firmly, and clicked on the print button.

Frowning slightly, Cloud shrugged. "I'll slice you some apples."

------

"Mmm…" Sora was sprawled over the couch, growing more excited by the moment, fingers trapped in silver strands as soft lips made their way up, lingering at the neck to plant brief, teasing butterfly kisses. "Ah…ahh…" Sora's breathing hastening dramatically and his fingers tightened their grasp as Riku smirked to himself, knowing the neck was one of Sora's most sensitive areas. He glanced up at half-lidded blue eyes, hazy with lust. "Rikuuu…" Came Sora's complaint. "Why'd you stop?"

"Well, why not?" Riku grinned mischievously. Sora pouted furiously, his wide, bright eyes full of accusation. "Sorry, love." Riku said softly, descending upon Sora's lips with newfound fervor.

"Forget it." Sora said flatly. "I'm not in the mood anymore." He pushed Riku away and sat up, irritated and half clothed. Riku groaned, knowing that he had brought this upon himself, and flopped down on the other end of the couch.

"You know, Sora…" Sora pulled a blanket over himself, giving Riku a look. "Cloud's always been something of a wimp—ow!"

Offended, Sora had kicked Riku. "What're are you talking about? Cloud's never been afraid of anything!"

"I'm not talking about just _anything_, Sora." Riku winced at the pain in his leg. "You ever notice he never had a significant other?" Sora frowned.

"So? He could probably have anyone."

"Except for me, of course, but I'm special." Sora snorted. Riku continued. "But he's never made an advance. He's never approached anyone. He doesn't even respond to those who do."

"Maybe he's just not interested." Sora shrugged.

Riku rolled his eyes. "No way could that thing be asexual."

"I wasn't suggestin—."

"He definitely has an interest in mind." Riku interrupted loudly. "But he just doesn't have the guts to do anything about it. You're right, Sora. He probably could have anyone he wanted, but he doesn't seem to know that."

Sora contemplated silently for a moment. "Well, who the heck is interesting enough to attract my brother?"

"Leon." Riku stated as-a-matter-of-factly. Sora's eyes grew so wide that Riku instinctively held his hands out to catch Sora's eyeballs, in case if they fell out.

"L-Leon!"

"Err...I guess Cloud's just a bit eccentric." Riku shrugged. "Cloud's a smart guy. I'm sure he sees something that we don't."

Sora stared down as if in thought. "Yea…you're probably right. But who would've figured…"

"We've all known each other since high school. I've had plenty of time to figure out what kind of look Cloud was giving Leon all the time. It came to me one day when I was watching Selphie's dog beg her for a bacon strip. I thought, 'Ah! It's a longing, puppy-dog look!' It's actually kind of cute to the point of sickening, really. I wonder if Leon just ignores it because it disturbs him or if he's just plain ignorant…"

Sora was laughing. "Well," He paused to catch his breath. "Are we supposed to do something about it?"

"No. We'll let them have their fun." Riku smirked, leaning over to kiss Sora all over again.

-------------

First chapter finished! I would appreciate it if you told me what you thought of it. )


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Priceless

**Summary**: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Dr. Sephiroth, doesn't make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth's offer to pass Leon, but not without a price from Cloud. LC, RS, SephyCloud

A/N: First off, I'll have you know that I'm only a senior in high school, so I don't know much about college life. I'm also not an expert on dyslexia, but I did my best by doing a bit of research on it. So please excuse any inaccurate details that I may have.

---------------

**Chapter 2**

_I'm gona be late, I'm gona be late, I'm gona be late._ Cloud ran down the quiet street, basking in the sun's mellow morning light, his black messenger bag swinging violently, striking his side repeatedly. Never before, he thought, did he feel a sense of urgency more pressing than right now. He simply couldn't bear to think of the consequences of being late, and picking up his pace, he rounded a sudden corner. Only there was someone obstructing his route, and immediately, he collided into a firm chest. Instinctively, his flailing arms reached out for something to grab onto and as luck would have it, his fingers latched onto a leather choker, dragging the person down to his doom.

"Shit…" Cloud opened his eyes to find himself staring at an extremely disgruntled man, who gracefully pushed himself off of the ground as Cloud continued to blink at him.

"Well? Aren't you getting up?" Leon questioned sarcastically, eyebrow raised.

"Y-Yea." Clumsily, Cloud collected himself, and Leon shoved a package into Cloud's arms.

"Got you your muffin. Last one left at Hojo's bakery."

Cloud's eyes widened as he peeked into the bag and triumphantly pulled out a fresh, blueberry muffin.

"Thanks Leon, you saved the day. I could never start a morning without one of these babies!"

Leon merely rolled his eyes, as he watched the blonde attack the muffin, slightly amused, and slightly disturbed. The two made their way onto the college campus, and chose their favorite oak tree to sit under. It was a majestic, old tree that was said to have survived 400 years already.

"Did you hear?" Cloud piped up. "Vincent's off to join SOLDIER."

Leon turned in interest. "SOLDIER? It's a binding contract of three years…" He looked away thoughtfully. "It's not easy…"

"A lot of people are going off to serve SOLDIER, though." Cloud plopped down on the grass, stretching out his arms and then resting them behind his head.

"And are you thinking of joining, too?" The brunette picked up an acorn, inspecting it.

"No way." Cloud shook his head and hesitated. "Not unless if you joined."

No further words were passed between them as Cloud anxiously wondered if Leon had caught on. But no, it didn't seem like it. The placid look on Leon's face gave away no evidence of his noticing, and Cloud was left with nothing to do but to carefully lick away at the remaining crumbs of his breakfast. He wasn't sure if he was to feel slightly disappointed, or slightly relieved, but he was sure that he felt both.

Leon looked up at the sky. "It seems like it's about to rain." He commented, as he began to stand up. "We have to classes to attend, anyway."

"…Right." Cloud said with a bit of reluctance. Professor Sephiroth's class was about to start and it was really the last place Cloud wanted to be, and where Cloud wanted Leon to be.

"Don't worry about me." Leon said, as if reading his mind, and made his way towards the English Studies building.

--------

"Good morning." Professor Sephiroth smiled as a crash of thunder echoed ominously through the lecture hall.

"Great…a bad omen." Cloud muttered to himself.

"You were all to have sent me your report last night before 12:00AM. For those of you that were even a second late—you fail. I do not accept late work."

A few audible groans came from certain students.

"And for those that have handed them in on time, they are already graded and ready to be returned to you. We will discuss your findings and any questions you may have concerning your papers. But regardless, your grade is final."

"How did we do, professor?" Someone called out.

Sephiroth paused to eye the student with keen emerald eyes as the student felt himself shrink in his seat. "_Some_ need more improvement than others." He simply remarked. Cloud found his report staring at him from the desk. "Interesting, Mr. Strife." Sephiroth said softly, before turning away.

Did Sephiroth just pay him a compliment? Cloud wondered, slightly befuddled, as he continued to look at the 87 he received on his paper. He quickly turned to find Leon gazing at his paper with cool distaste.

"Unacceptable," was Sephiroth's comment. "We will speak after class."

For the remainder of the class, Cloud held a steady glare on Sephiroth, although the silver-haired man seemed rather indifferent about the threatening looks he was receiving. In fact, he seemed as if he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

_Sadistic, perverse, old man…_ Cloud thought, as Sephiroth passed by his desk. Cloud caught a whiff of what was probably Sephiroth's cologne, and to his surprise, it was pleasantly elegant, yet light. He had expected the man to wear a grave, musty odor that middle-aged, balding businessmen usually wore. Somehow, this only reminded Cloud of Leon's more casual, and clean, masculine scent. He knew Leon wasn't the type who bothered with cologne, but somehow, he had always retained a naturally manly scent. Cloud on the other hand was often told that he smelled of soap, body wash, conditioner, and basically every sort of scented body product there was out there. Yuffie had once remarked that Cloud smelled _too_ fruity, but of course Cloud himself could not smell a thing.

"Fruity my ass…" Cloud muttered to himself.

"What?" Sephiroth softly turned.

"N-nothing." Cloud sunk down in his seat, suddenly feeling a bit unsettled. He had wasted most of class time thinking about bodily odors, and now he hadn't the slightest clue about what was discussed, and what was assigned. He figured he'd ask Leon later, and try to figure out how Leon smelled the way he did, while he was at it. Standing up and stretching a bit, Cloud yawned and tapped Leon's desk as he headed for the door. "I'll wait for you." Cloud said quietly.

Outside of the lecture hall, the blonde leaned against the wall, by the door, watching his classmates exit the room.

"Tough class…" Zidane mumbled to Cloud, flashing his report. Cloud grimaced in acknowledgement and turned his attention onto the rain that had begun to pour outside. The sky had rapidly darkened during the course of class, and he could see the trees swaying wildly in one direction as the rhythmic sound of the rain beat against the glass windows. Muffled voices began to speak, and Cloud slowly edged his way towards the slightly opened door to eavesdrop.

"…Don't understand. I fully supported, with legit sources…"

"I don't care." Sephiroth's sharp voice interrupted. "I will continue to fail you for the rest of the year unless if you concede to an agreement."

Leon was silent. "So basically, you're blackmailing me."

"If you want to put it that way. I simply want a few favors done. You expect something, and I expect something."

"Normally, a professor would only expect a good essay." Leon said from behind gritted teeth.

"Apparently you don't understand the position you're in." Sephiroth said, sounding amused. "It's the word of a renown professor against a disabled student. Now whom do you think everyone will believe? If I state your theory is inadequate, I can prove it, though I need not to."

"So you're saying anyone would listen to your bullshit?"

"Yes."

"I refuse to sink this low. Fail me, if it makes you content. I'm not intimidated by your threats. And I swear, I'll have you found out…"

"If you're not intimidated by my threats, why should I have any reason to fear yours? You haven't even heard my offer."

"And I don't want to." Leon paused. "Why me? What do you want from me that you can't have from anyone else?"

Cloud could feel the smile growing on Sephiroth's face, and it sent some shivers down the spine. "Don't flatter yourself. You're only part of the objective, but my offer will stay open for as long as you like."

A slam on the desk, and Leon rushed out the door in a brooding huff, as a confused and mortified Cloud ran to keep up.

"Leon!" He called out. "Leon!"

Leon halted by the building entrance. "What." He said darkly.

"He…what he's doing is wrong…" Cloud said, somewhat lamely, at a loss for words.

"You think I don't know that?" Leon spun around in a positively fuming manner, as if offended by the statement.

"What can you do? It's a pointless course to take if you know you're just going to fail it." Leon was silent for a few moments, slowly letting the fact sink in.

"I…" His voice faltered.

"Leon, you can't be thinking of accepting his offer!" Cloud yelled, grabbing a hold of Leon's shoulders, but Leon quickly, shoved the blonde off, refusing to speak. "Leon, you know you can't do this. It'd be…it'd be wrong. You'd be just like Sephiroth… Let me…let me help you! I'll do whatever it takes, Leon, what it takes, to pass your papers off as…as something so brilliant even the professor can't deny!" Desperate blue eyes searched Leon's face, knowing that his words were lost on the brunette.

"Cloud, you know that's impossible. You know he's firm on what he said. Does he seem like the type to give in?" Leon said bitterly. "Don't waste your energy. You can't possibly help one bit, and I certainly don't need it."

Cloud stared at Leon with wide eyes, clearly stung by his words. He opened his mouth, and then closed them again. "No…I—I guess I can't…" He turned, and briskly walked out into the storm.

Leon closed his eyes, and focused on inhaling deeply, attempting to clear his mind, fraught with emotions. He knew he wasn't being sensible, and that he had deeply injured someone he had not meant to. All this began to register with much more sense and slowly, everything logical clicked into place.

Shit… 

------

"Eh? You're not feeling well, you say?"

Cloud nodded tearfully, gorging himself on a pastry. "And—and he—he said that—that…"

"There…there now. You see what a rotten being, he is?" Hojo said kindly.

"No! Don't say that about Leon!" Cloud retorted.

"You're dripping wet, my boy. How about we get you out of these clothes and I'll let you rest upstairs in—."

The bell twinkled, signifying that a customer had entered the bakery. "…Cloud?" Both Hojo and Cloud looked up to see Yuffie standing in the doorway, closing her umbrella. "Cloud…why are you here? My god, you're soaked! You need to get your butt home, right now, mister!"

"But I don't want to…want to…" Cloud stuttered.

"I insist, the boy must stay here…" Hojo interjected.

"No." Yuffie said firmly, narrowing her eyes. "Unless if you wanna argue, eh, Mr. Freakenstein?" She reached for her shuriken.

"Oh, no…no." Hojo said, backing off.

"That's what I thought. Come on chocobo-boy." Yuffie grabbed Cloud's wrist without a second to waste and ushered him out the door.

--------

Just perfect. For all Leon knew, Cloud was probably running around, entertaining bystanders with what seemed like a crazed rain dance, knowing how Cloud was in his emotional rages. That, or he was busy filling himself with creamy pastry goods in an attempt to alleviate his woes. Either way, Cloud just wasn't safe out there on his own in a mood like this. Shortly, however, a knock on the door would answer all his prayers.

"Found your lost puppy." Yuffie stood at the door, struggling to support a Cloud who could barely stay conscious.

"Cloud…" Leon's eyes widened, as he quickly moved forward to relieve Yuffie of her burden. "Why is he drenched?" Yuffie shrugged.

"Apparently he was dancing in the rain earlier, and he was picked up by Hojo. Of course, I had to rescue him from that freak, or else Cloud would've been thoroughly molested, inside out, no pun intended."

"Well…thank the Lord." Leon said, a bit speechless, as he hastened to strip Cloud of his clothes. Yuffie quickly turned away from Cloud's most intimate parts.

"I don't suppose you'll be needing my help…"

"No…no…" Leon said distractedly.

Yuffie glanced into the bathroom to see an assortment of hair care products neatly arranged on a small shelf. "You need to take care of him, Leon. Cloud doesn't do it well enough, not because he doesn't know how, but because he's more concerned about taking care of others." She walked into the bathroom to examine the products more carefully and wrinkled her nose in distaste when she noticed that they were arranged alphabetically. She quickly walked back out. "None of us are around him all the time like you are. So if you don't take care of him…we can't guarantee that someone else will." Yuffie said seriously and with a brief gesture of the hand, she left as suddenly as she had come, allowing Leon to ponder over her words in peace.

Carefully, Leon had wiped Cloud down with a lukewarm, damp towel and had put on his pajamas for him. He kneeled on the floor, next to Cloud's bed, and leaned over to rest his cheek on Cloud's forehead briefly, finding that Cloud was quite warm and feverish. Instantly he placed a washcloth over Cloud's forehead and reached over to grab his own blanket, layering it on top of Cloud's own blanket. Leon wasn't quite sure if he had done right, but instinctively, he felt that he had, and he slowly relaxed against the side of Cloud's bed.

There were times when he found the blonde inexplicably attractive, he thought, as he gazed serenely at the Cloud's sleeping figure. But where did this attraction lie in? He could not pinpoint. There was a certain fondness Leon felt towards Cloud when he would arrive at Leon's house, in the past, on frigid winter mornings only to bring him a hot coffee cup, although Cloud always ended up drinking it himself because Leon never accepted the kind gesture. He remembered in high school, how he had found Cloud a tad bit annoying for picking fights with every student that so much as sneered at Leon's ability to read aloud, and how afterwards, Cloud would tentatively ask Leon if he was alright, and if he was feeling upset. And there were times when he sensed that Cloud's blue eyes were on him, not in a scrutinizing or judging manner, but merely understanding—understanding the right moments to speak, to crack a lame joke or to simply remain silent.

These were things that Leon had never stopped to consider much, and although he had long already known that Cloud harbored a gentle soul, he only now began to realize the true extent of Cloud's selflessness.

"…God, I'm such an idiot."

-------

"Riku!!" Sora burst into room to find the silver-haired young man in the middle of playing his trumpet. Riku looked up, his mouth still attached to the mouthpiece.

"Mm?"

"Selphie lost her puppy, Wolfy! Which means it's out there in the rain, somewhere! We have to go help her!" The next thing Riku knew, Sora had appeared right by him and was tugging on his arm.

"Pfft. Calm down, Sora." Riku said, pulling his arm away. "That's old news. She found Wolfy awhile ago."

"She—she did?" Sora ceased his urging.

"Yes, Sora." Riku answered patiently, setting down his trumpet on the bed, and then cupping Sora's face with both hands. "He was soaking wet, and all…" Sora stammered a bit, feeling aroused at an inappropriate moment, by Riku's voice, which suddenly lowered seductively. "So she dried him, and massaged his worn out little body." Sora felt Riku's hands drop to his ass.

"Hey!" Sora yelped, feeling assaulted.

"Shhh…" Riku whispered soothingly. "Aren't you interested in hearing the rest?" Sora looked up again with earnest blue eyes, trying his best to ignore the fact that Riku's hand was now somehow under his shirt, and another one was striving to dive into his pants. "And then, she put him to bed." He finished, and descended upon Sora's lips.

Riku backed away to find himself staring at a pair of unmoved, sapphire eyes.

"Riku…" Started Sora. "I know you were trying to seduce me…but somehow, that was just more disturbing. I mean…Selphie…and her _dog_?"

"Hmm…" Riku frowned. "Okay, you're right, bad approach. Humans, dogs and sex don't mix." The spiky-haired brunette flopped down on the bed in an inviting position and ran a hand slowly down his stomach, and lower. Immediately, Riku snatched the opportunity and pounced, smiling mischievously as he began to work the wonders of his hand. "Someone's especially hard, today…" Once again, however, Sora was unmoved.

"…Riku, that's not me you're groping."

Riku looked down to find his hand on his trumpet, which he had left in bed. Cursing, he pulled off his gloves.

"No more interruptions." Riku growled as he shoved aside the instrument.

-------------

Second chapter finished! I'm surprised I even finished it. Reviews appreciated. )


	3. Chapter 3

**Title**: Priceless

**Summary**: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Dr. Sephiroth, doesn't make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth's offer to pass Leon, but not without a price from Cloud. LC, RS, SephyCloud

A/N: I finally updated…sorry! I hope it's not too OOC or anything…but enjoy!

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**Chapter 3**

"You know, Leon… Maybe you ought to pay more attention to Cloud sometimes." Riku picked up the heavy equipment bag and slung it over his shoulders, brandishing the keyblade he held in hand.

"What makes you say that?" Leon glanced curiously at Riku, his expression blank, but open.

Riku merely shrugged. "You know how he feels, and sometimes I think you take it all for granted. Don't you ever wonder what would happen if you let him in on your own feelings for once, instead of the other way around?"

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

Rolling his eyes, Riku twirled the keyblade, which he had so fondly named Sora. "There's nothing to lose, except for a part of your own dignity, perhaps." The pair began to leave the Olympus Coliseum where Riku had been for practice. It was a common thing for Leon to wait for Riku outside of the Coliseum whenever he was in the mood to talk. And usually, their conversations revolved around one thing,

"No, I disagree." Leon shook his head. "There's much to lose, on Cloud's part. I could never live up to his expectations if we were…that way. He wouldn't be happy, and that's what I'd lose."

"And you think you're not tormenting him right now?" Riku snapped. "You think everything's fine and dandy for him, believing he's got a hopeless case of unrequited love on his hands?"

"At least he has no reason to expect more of me than what a friend can offer." Leon said warily, narrowing his eyes slightly, as if offended.

"Oh, spare me the excuses." Riku stopped and turned to look the brunette straight in the eye. "You know what I think, Leon? I think you're being selfish. You're not actually scared of hurting Cloud; you're scared of admitting what affections you may have for him. You don't want to come off as a sap, because your pride isn't worth sacrificing, _plus_ that wouldn't be too great for your image, would it?" Leon started to protest. "No, nuh-uh." Riku cut him off sharply. "Here's the deal. Shut up. _Listen_ to me when I say that romance does not require you to act like you've overdosed on a drug. It might not have occurred to you that we _all_ know you better than you think we do."

"Maybe, but you're not exactly mind readers." Leon looked away grudgingly.

"We don't have to be mind readers to understand that you _care_ for someone. Subtleties, Leon. Subtleties."

Shaking his head, Leon walked past Riku and continued forward. "You're far off the mark. It's not a pride issue, Riku."

"Oh, then you're just afraid." Riku raised an eyebrow.

"I can't guarantee anything. Only that I'll think on it."

"You know Cloud deserves better than just that." Riku remarked coldly, icy eyes boring into Leon's back. However, seeing that Leon was determined to remain silent, Riku shrugged to himself and parted in another direction without another word.

--------

Silver eyebrows arched in astonishment as steel green eyes met with blue ones.

"What am I to owe for this pleasant surprise?" Sephiroth smiled lazily, setting down his pen.

"I'll accept your offer." Cloud said quickly, anxiously watching as Sephiroth brushed back his bangs and leaned back, folding his arms across his chest.

"My offer?" The professor feigned innocence.

"You…you know what I'm talking about."

Sephiroth stared down to think for a few moments. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." He narrowed his eyes slightly in amusement.

"Anything I can do, I'll do it." Cloud affirmed.

"Come to me, whenever I call you."

The blonde haired student cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"That's simply it." Sephiroth said, gesturing a hand. "Just come to me whenever I ask."

"And…and do what?" The details were all too vague to Cloud.

"Does it matter at this point? Or are you so readily willing to back out?"

Cloud glared defiantly. "Anything I can do, I'll do it." He repeated with absolute confidence.

"Your funeral." Sephiroth chuckled nonchalantly as he turn back to his papers. Cloud stood there for a few moments, wondering what the professor had meant by those words. "It's something called 'a joke,' I believe." Sephiroth said with a sigh without looking up.

Slightly abashed, Cloud quickly walked out of the lecture hall and broke into a run back to the dorms.

-----------

"What are you so giddy about?" Leon was on his laptop with an eyebrow raised at Cloud. The blonde had entered the dorm humming Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony. Leon had long ago found out that Cloud had an annoying habit of humming this tune whenever he was feeling particularly jovial.

"Oh…nothing." Cloud peered over at Leon's laptop screen. "Want me to check for mistakes?" Cloud pointed at a misspelled word.

Leon shook his head. "I'm finished already." He closed his laptop.

"Hmm…then…want to go out for dinner?" Cloud placed a hand on his hip and tapped an index finger along his chin. "Maybe we can go downtown to where Sora's working and catch his shift…"

"Cloud—." Leon interrupted. "That new place across from the senior apartments? I'll treat you."

Cloud's eyes widened. "But we're poor college students, Leon! And wait a minute—why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? Are you alright?" He bit his lip in concern. "Is it possible you hit your head and received a concussion? Oh…oh god, we have to take you to the clinic—this could be serious! What if you get a seizure?" Cloud scrambled around in search of tongue depressors.

"Excuse me." The brunette growled. "But does this mean you're declining this more-than-generous offer?

"No! NO! Not at all!" Cloud cried. "I was just…kidding…" He half-lied, and then let out a sigh, scratching his head. "I just don't get why you're treating me."

"Well—perhaps if you stopped preening yourself so much, you wouldn't be as nearly broke as you are now." Leon pointed out as he stood up and headed out, followed closely by Cloud. "Who are you trying to look good for anyway?"

"Anyone who'll look." Cloud answered brightly.

"Doesn't that sound kind of desperate?"

"It would—if no one paid attention to me."

"But they do. So you _know _that you're a heartbreaker."

"Aren't you one as well?" Cloud replied grudgingly.

"It comes naturally." Leon said smugly. "I don't have to try anywhere near as much as you do." He narrowed his eyes at the blonde. "With the kind of remarks that come out of your mouth, I'm surprised you attract more than you repel."

"Oh, it's in the blonde genes." Cloud smiled with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"I can't believe you enjoy saying unintelligent things like that."

"Oh come on, Leon! I can't believe you enjoy being so _grim_ and _serious_ all the time!"

"I don't. I just feel obligated to balance out the situation when you're around."

"I can be serious!" Cloud protested.

"I don't know why, but I'm not convinced." Leon rolled his eyes. "If I were you, I'd keep that tongue of yours immobile."

"I'll have you know that I happen to be a _fabulous_ kisser. It'd be such a waste if I didn't put it into good use." Cloud said smugly.

"…Completely off topic—but as if you've ever engaged in such activity?"

"I haven't…but I'm sure of it. I practice sometimes when I eat ice cream."

"…Cloud, I really have nothing to say to that."

"Good. I knew that would shut you up."

"Yes, but at your own expense."

Cloud shrugged. "But it's true."

Leon stopped and turned around. "Why don't you practice on someone?"

"What?" Cloud stared at Leon, his bright blue eyes clearly confused. "On who?"

"Well I happen to be standing right in front of you, you know." Leon smirked. A blush quickly found its place on Cloud's cheeks and the blonde remained silent. For a moment, the two simply stared at each other.

"Err…" Started Cloud.

"Just kidding, you moron. As if I'd let you set foot on these holy grounds?"

"God, Leon. Do you always have to be such a prick?"

"No. It's just that you told me to lighten up." Leon shrugged.

"I didn't expect you to make a joke that bad!"

"Quit complaining. You're hard to please, you know that?" Leon said, annoyed. "We're here." He reached for the handle. "Ladies first."

"Hmph." Cloud sniffed daintily with his nose up in the air and strutted past Leon through the entrance.

"Hello, I will be serving you this evening. May I start you off with some drinks first?"

"I'll have—." Cloud started. "Wait…Vincent?! I thought you were…"

"Yes, I'm joining SOLDIER, but don't be so anxious to be rid of me just yet. Boot camp doesn't start for another 2 weeks, you know." Vincent rolled his eyes.

"I didn't know you worked here, as well." Leon raised his eyebrow.

"I don't. I'm just helping a friend before I leave…who happens to own this place."

"You know the person who owns this place?!" Cloud exclaimed.

Vincent brushed his raven-black hair back impatiently. "You could call it family connections. Now are you going to have something to drink or not?"

"I guess I'll have—."

"Wait, Cloud. Whatever you say, do NOT order water." Leon raised an eyebrow. Cloud blinked.

"Well alright, Leon. If you're determined to rip a hole in your pocket, I'll have…the most expensive drink there is." Cloud looked up at Vincent.

"I'm assuming you mean the most expensive non-alcoholic beverage? That would be…The Razzle Dazzle…Strawberry Frazzle." Vincent recited uncomfortably and turned to Leon. "And you… sir?"

"Raspberry iced tea." Leon replied simply.

"Okay. Got it." Vincent started to leave, only to pause midway. Cloud and Leon found themselves under the scrutiny of a pair of glinting, ruby eyes. "I didn't know you guys were…never mind." He left.

"Since you insist on being generous, Leon." Cloud said seriously. "Let's set the boundaries first. I can feed myself. So please don't even think about spoon-feeding me."

"Of course not. You're financially incompetent—not physically inept. There's a big difference."

"Hmm." The blonde squinted his eyes, struggling to glance around. The restaurant was quite dim, and the music in the background was low and seductive. It was as if… "Uh…Leon? Do you notice how this place seems to be for…couples?"

Leon frowned. "I wasn't aware of it before."

"Ohh…great. So Vincent must think that we're…"

Leon looked down at his menu and said nothing in reply.

Feeling himself heat up, Cloud looked down as well. _Though it wasn't intentional, it's as if I'm on a date with Leon. Gah…I don't know if I can act normally. I feel like such a…such…a girl._ Flustered with himself, Cloud quickly glanced at Leon, who didn't seem to be paying attention, before darting his eyes away.

The brunette had some internal conflicts of his own. _Great…not really how I wanted this go…but okay. Let's make the best of it. Should I…take the initiative? I have nothing to lose. Yes—nothing to lose and everything to gain. Don't forget—this is what Cloud wants to. But a situation like this is so…foreign. I don't even know where to begin._ Nervously, he eyed the blonde's delicate eyebrows, his cool baby-blue eyes and his slightly parted, sensuous lips.

"Leon, this looks—." Cloud was unable to finish his sentence, as Leon smoothly cut in for the kill. The distance between the two was closed, as Leon lightly brushed his lips against Cloud's, as if seeking approval. Stunned, Cloud gave himself up to instinct, and leaned into Leon's lips, initiating further intimacy.

Briefly after, the two pulled back. Leon began to appear self-conscious and though no one could tell in the candle-lit atmosphere, his cheeks were tinged silly with pink. Cloud could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he smiled sheepishly.

"Maybe I was a bit—."

"No! Not at all…" Cloud trailed off. Sitting in silence, the music playing the background contributed to the awkwardness.

"Message for Mr. Cloud Strife." Vincent had appeared, creating a much-needed distraction for the two.

"Uh…what?" Cloud responded, dumb-founded. "I mean, who is it from?"

Vincent shrugged. "I don't know. I was just told to give this to you." He lowered a tray with an envelope lying on top. Carefully, Cloud picked up the letter as if it were poisonous and opened it to remove the contents.

_Mr. Strife,_

_Enjoying your evening, I hope? I'm afraid that I am going to have to spoil your fun—but your audience is requested. Of course you are not under any sort of commitment to oblige and you may choose to terminate the deal at any point. My best guess assures me that you will not fail to meet my demands, however. See to it that your waiter brings you here—immediately._

Cloud's eyes widened with panic. He had completely forgotten about his obligations. Furthermore, he realized that he hadn't left Sephiroth with any means of communication, which could only mean that he was being tracked somehow. He glanced around in alarm.

"Leon, I have to go! It's urgent!" Cloud pushed back his chair and stood up.

"What happened, Cloud? Did someone get hurt?" Leon stood up, eyeing the blonde with troubled, stormy, gray eyes.

"No…no. It's just that…there's this…thing I have to do. I'm sorry—we'll do this another time!" Cloud finished lamely, before rushing away.

Leon placed a hand on his forehead and let out a sigh.

"Hey, it's okay. Let me cover the bill." Vincent laid a hand on Leon's shoulder before following Cloud.

---------------------------

"Vincent, where is he?!" Cloud was in frenzy. He was in complete dark about Sephiroth's motives, nor did he know how severe the conditions of the deal were. Would being late call the deal off? Perhaps he was worrying a bit too much, Cloud thought.

"Right here." Vincent opened a door that led to a private dining room in the restaurant that was lit with chandeliers. The door closed behind him as Cloud stepped in.

"Good evening." A rich, gentleman's voice greeted him.

"…Sephiroth." Cloud acknowledged. Sephiroth was sitting at a table, his dress shirt casually unbuttoned at the top and his wine-colored tie hung loosely around his neck. He pulled off his reading glasses and set them down on the tabletop, all while smiling serenely as he pierced the depths of blue eyes with his own set of chilling emerald.

"Sit down, please. And have a glass of champagne."

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Questions, comments, complaints? Leave one. : )


	4. Chapter 4

**Title**: Priceless

**Summary**: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Dr. Sephiroth, doesn't make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth's offer to pass Leon, but not without a price from Cloud. LC, RS, SephyCloud

**A/N:** I apologize for any inconsistencies but it's been months and a lot happens. I'm already beginning to lose sight of my objective and vision in this fic but I will try my best to finish it. Also, I'm in college, guys! So maybe I'll be able to depict their college lives more accurately…or not. X) Anyway, enjoy!

---------------------------------

"I…I don't drink." Cloud slowly sat down across from Sephiroth, holding a steady, troubled glance.

"Didn't think so. You're underage anyway." The silver-haired man chuckled to himself and took a sip from his glass. "Well, let's get down to business then."

---------------

To think that he had been so bold, Leon shook his head and felt mortified all over again for the hundredth time that evening. He had returned to his dorm room, washed his face, and was now lying on his bed, going over what had happened in his mind while feeling the minty effect of the cleanser he had used. Letting out a groan, the brunette sat up in bed and looked over at Cloud's empty side of the room. Where had the blonde gone anyway? Leon frowned and came to the conclusion that stressing over what had happened was not healthy. He smoothed out his white dress shirt as he stood up and left the room, heading for Riku's room.

As Leon approached the dorm room, he could see that the door had been left ajar. Perfect. He needed to talk to Riku before solitude with his own thoughts drove him insane.

He pushed the door fully open, but was not greeted by the sight of the silver-haired hotshot. Instead, he found a redhead with his face suspiciously buried in between a pair of smooth, lithe legs. The two lovers looked up at Leon's expressionless features. Silently, Leon shut the door and left.

The blue-eyed boy looked down at Axel. "Think he's gonna tell Riku?"

Axel shrugged. "Who cares? Demyx is currently in my room, but Riku isn't in yours." He pointed out.

"Yea, but you know how much he hates it when we…go at it in my room." Roxas ruffled his blonde hair.

"It's not like he isn't always screwing around with Sora in here either." Remarked Axel, as he leaned down and resumed what they had been doing previously.

"Mmm…ah…" Roxas fidgeted, curling his toes as he struggled to speak. "But you know…they always stay on Riku's side of the room. We tend to…travel. I don't think he'll appreciate it when he finds the evidence on his bed sheets. "

Axel lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Does this mean you want me to stop?"

"No! Not at…ah…"

--------------

Leon discovered Riku at the library and slid into a seat next to him.

"Hm…so you do work." Leon commented, as he stared blankly at Riku's laptop screen.

"Sometimes." Riku yawned. "But actually, I happen to be writing an erotic novel right now."

The brunette narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the typed document. "An erotic novel that takes place during the Bosnian war? Seems unlikely for you, Riku."

"Heh. Thought I'd be able to fool you." Riku leaned back in his chair and dropped his hands to his sides. "So…what are you doing here?"

Leon brushed a hand through his hair. "Well…I thought you'd be in your room. But apparently not. By the way, I suggest you change your bed sheets as soon as possible."

"Huh?" Riku widened his eyes. "Wait, don't tell me that Roxas… Aw man…" Riku threw his head back in exasperation. "Geez…how do they screw? I'm curious but something tells me it's worse than a kinky porn flick gone wrong." He muttered to himself.

"I kissed him." Leon decided to get right to the point.

"What? Kissed who?" Looking up from his thoughts distractedly, Riku casted a glance at the laptop screen.

"…Who else?"

Riku's interest was apparent. "And?" A hint of amusement was present in his voice.

Leon stared down at his boots and shrugged. "I don't know."

"Don't tell me you just ran away after that." Riku saved his half-typed essay and turned off his laptop, eyeing the brunette critically.

"The opposite, actually. He received a call on his cell." Leon sighed. "Apparently a situation arose and he left to take care of it."

Riku bit down on his lip. "If I were you, I'd straighten things out A-SAP." Leon slumped forward in his seat held a hand up to his forehead, rubbing the side of his face. "Look, I know communication isn't your thing…" Riku sympathized. "But that was a pretty bad time and place to leave things hanging like that, you know? Come on. Maybe you won't even have to say much. I don't think I need to tell you how well Cloud knows you."

Leon only nodded, and covered his face.

--------------

He'd never seen Sephiroth so casual before. But now…the silver-haired man had completely lost the façade of professionalism.

_Must be the alcohol_. Cloud thought to himself. "So why did you call me here?" Cloud asked, trying to behave nonchalantly while fiddling with a loose thread from the tablecloth. "More importantly, how did you know I was here?"

Sephiroth took another sip before answering. "I didn't. It happened by chance, believe it or not, and I thought to myself…why not?"

"What do you want me to do now?" Cloud looked around the private room as if it might have contained clues to his question.

For a moment, Sephiroth did not answer. Cloud took this as a sign that Sephiroth was brainstorming some sort of cruel and unusual punishment. Not that he had done anything to deserve to be punished, he thought, wincing slightly. _Damn._ _This Sephiroth was really a bastard. _Cloud thought, for the millionth time.

"Nothing, Mr. Strife." Sephiroth replied at long last. "Nothing specific, at least." Cloud hesitated. Was this some sort of ambiguously open-ended approach that literary educators were infamous for? "I can see you're perplexed. No matter." Sephiroth suddenly stood up. "Come. We'll talk a little."

Cloud clumsily followed after the silver-haired man out of the room, navigating through the packed restaurant and out the gold-framed doors towards the parking lot. He had caught no sight of Leon or Vincent and even if he had, wouldn't have dared to try to talk to them while in Sephiroth's presence. Plus, Leon knew nothing of their deal. The blonde sighed to himself. What was Leon doing, anyway? Was it possible that the brunette felt humiliated and was angry with him? All Cloud wanted to do was to get back and clear things up. He wanted to assure Leon how ecstatic his initiative had made him. Most of all, he wanted to feel the delightful effect that Leon's lips had on him, again and again.

He found himself staring at a black BMW. "If you will," Sephiroth gestured towards the expensive-looking vehicle. "I'm confident that you can open the door for yourself."

Stepping carefully into the car and avoiding contact between his boots and the side of the door, Cloud found himself surrounded by the strong scent of leather and decided immediately that he did not find it pleasant at all. All that changed when Sephiroth took his place behind the wheel. A wave of cologne found its way to Cloud's nose and at once, Cloud found it refreshing and crisp. Why couldn't BMWs smell like this? He toyed with the idea of purchasing this cologne for Leon but on second thought, he didn't want to be reminded of Sephiroth when it wasn't necessary and nor did he want to let Sephiroth know that he admired his taste in fragrance. He quickly let the scheme drop.

Sephiroth started the car and backed out of the parking lot. Cloud laid a hand on the cool, metal door handle. How strange it was, being driven by Sephiroth without any knowledge of where they were headed. He drove in silence, as Cloud peered out the windows, equally silent. Out of the corner of his eye, he could make out Sephiroth's relaxed form with one hand easily steering the wheel. Baby blue eyes widened. Hopefully, Sephiroth hadn't had too much to drink.

--------------

The door slammed open as Riku paraded into the room, pausing momentarily to stare at his bed with disgust. Roxas, who was lying on his own bed, propped himself up on his elbows.

"Hey." He casually greeted.

"…Hello." Riku said unpleasantly, gazing at his bed. "What happened to my sheets?"

"About that…" Roxas rubbed the side of his neck. "I dropped them into the wash for you. Cause…you know."

"No, I don't know. Enlighten me." Folding his arms, Riku narrowed his fierce aqua green eyes.

"I'm sorry, man." The blonde confessed with a shrug, unfazed by Riku's glare. "I told Axel you wouldn't like it but he was just doing his thing and…you know? Who could resist?"

"Goddammit, Roxas. You know I happen to sleep and fuck on this thing."

"And so do I." Roxas muttered. "But look, if you and Sora ever get bored of screwing over there, you could always come over to this side…when I'm not here, that is." Roxas suggested.

"No thanks." Riku sighed and flopped onto the bare mattress. "How the hell do you guys get over here, anyhow?"

Roxas began to relay to him the details. "Well it always starts off with a game of internet chess…" Riku grimaced. "…and then after he blows me, he likes to talk dirty while barking and that just completely gets me off…" Riku groaned. "…Cloud's buster sword up my ass! Then he licks the lemons while shoving another…" Riku buried his face into his pillow. "…he likes to call it Mr. Abraham Lincoln…" Riku shouldn't have asked.

"You're hopelessly fucked up, you know that?" Riku frowned.

Roxas smirked. "Piss off."

--------------

Cloud stepped out of the car, looking up at a modest, yet somewhat endearing house. As he followed Sephiroth to the entrance, little lamps that were rooted along the walkway lit up with each step that Cloud took. To the front of the house was a small artificial stream, bubbling in a way that soothed one's senses.

If the exterior didn't look like much, the interior certainly caught one's eye. The floors were set with creamy, marble tiles and glazed over for a glossy finish. The edges and corners of the walls were lined with something that resembled gold foil while tiny chandeliers adorned the ceiling of each room.

Stepping into the heart of the house was the kitchen, doubling as a bar, with wide counter space and crystal wine glasses hanging from the ceiling rack. Behind the glass doors of the showcase cabinet stood various bottles of wine and champagne. Sephiroth reached for the golden knobs and swung open the doors, pulling out a bottle and pouring himself some more to drink.

"Help yourself to whatever." Sephiroth said lazily, clearly losing eloquence in his speech. Cloud wandered into a connecting living room and sat down on a couch. It was soft, and he couldn't quite make out what the material was. But he liked it. He could feel the carpeted floor under his feet. There was a wide-screen TV in the room, along with a wall full of DVDs and CDs.

A cute little fireplace was present as well, and Cloud wondered if it was ever put to use or if it was just there for show.

"Haven't used it in ages." Sephiroth said with a nod as he entered the room, in reply to Cloud's quizzical gaze at the fireplace. Cloud quickly looked up. "But I used to." He sprawled himself on the opposite end of the couch and flipped on the television set.

"It's nice." Cloud spoke up.

"Hm?"

"Your place—It's nice."

"Is it? I always felt it never really suited me."

"It lives up to your class act." Cloud admitted, as Sephiroth chuckled a bit. "Though it does seem a bit too excessive for just you. Does anyone else live here?"

"Yes, one of my acquaintances from graduate school, but apparently he's not here right now." The silver-haired man said with a shrug.

"Do you usually have guests?"

"Rarely."

"Should I consider myself fortunate, then?"

"If it pleases you."

"What's his name? Your housemate."

"Zack. You resemble him a bit, actually."

Cloud made a face. "Don't tell me you have the hots for this guy but can't get him and that explains why I'm here."

More chuckling. "Believe me; you've witnessed how accomplished I am in the literature of failing students? I seduce even better."

"Err…do you?" Cloud was unsure of how to take that.

"Shall I demonstrate?" Sephiroth asked softly. Cloud blinked in a mixture of surprise and confusion. Perhaps the wine was really winding him down. The older man tugged at the buttons of his shirt, loosening them to reveal his broad chest. Cloud stiffened as Sephiroth leaned over, his lips hovering over Cloud's jaw line.

_No problem. You can do this._ Cloud coached himself silently.

As he moved to cover the blonde's mouth, Cloud shifted into a more comfortable position and slowly eased back. He flinched as he felt Sephiroth's lips touch his and recoiled slightly. Sephiroth easily crossed the distance and gently pushed Cloud onto his back.

Sephiroth wasn't a bad looking man at all. He held the affections of the girls in class, in fact. But it just wasn't working for Cloud. He couldn't find anything to like in this man. This man who abused Leon for his disability. This man who was currently taking advantage of his disability.

"Your mind is elsewhere…" Sephiroth murmured in between kisses.

_Leon…Leon's lips on me. Leon's hands on me. Yes…pretend it's him._

He was repulsive. The way he stank of alcohol. The way his hand slid down the zipper of Cloud's shirt. The way Sephiroth's mouth worked passionately on his own. The way their bare chests brushed against one another's.

The way Cloud moaned in response and would learn to ache for his touch…it was repulsive.

--------------

"Shit, man. I think I'm scarred." Riku was in Leon's room having a one-sided conversation with Leon. "Who knew?" He raised a hand incredulously and let it drop uselessly. "God…who the _fuck_ would've known?"

Leon raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He had been leaning back his chair for the past hour listening to Riku rant, completing a paper for class and thinking about what he would say to Cloud. He called it multi-tasking.

"Leon, you could really use a proofreader." Riku had glanced over at Leon's Word document to find several glaring mistakes. Leon grunted. "Well, it's an improvement. It used to be worse." Riku added. "Have you been going for treatment?"

"No. I stopped with that once college began."

Riku bit down on the end of a pen. "You know you shouldn't have."

"What does it matter to you?"

"Hey. Just thought I'd look out for you. That's all."

He sighed. "Sorry. I have a lot on my mind and that just doesn't happen to be one of them."

Riku pursed his lips. "Time to start articulating those thoughts then." He motioned towards the door.

A lean, young man had stepped into the room without being noticed. Riku jumped to his feet. "Chin up. I'll see you guys around." He left the room

Cloud moved to sit on Leon's bed, wordlessly.

"You seem worn out. What happened? Are you alright?" Leon questioned.

"Oh. Yea. Don't worry about it. It wasn't serious or anything." The blonde waved the issue aside. Leon cleared his throat. He tapped his fingers on the keyboard, all coherent thoughts abandoning him at the moment. "Riku's right, you know. You should really continue treatment."

Leon shook his head. "You wouldn't understand how frustrating it's been. How frustrating it still is."

"Probably not." Cloud said gently. "But I'll help you. I'll do anything to get you up there. Life long support to match a life long struggle." He smiled bleakly, glowing blue eyes which began to glisten.

"C-Cloud?" Leon was alarmed as the blonde began to lose composure. Leon quickly left his seat and knelt on the floor before Cloud. Reaching up, Leon tentatively ran his fingers across Cloud's face.

"You understand, right Leon? You know I'd do a lot for you. Anything. So don't be angry. Don't leave." His voice cracked and was reduced to a whimper.

Leaning in, Leon kissed Cloud tenderly on the forehead, then the eyes, and gradually moving down to capture his mouth. "I understand." He said quietly, pressing his forehead to Cloud's, peering into the depths of his blue eyes and soothing his blonde, spiky hair.

_Ah. He understood nothing._

--------------

"_Oh, God…" Cloud muttered as Sephiroth licked his way down Cloud's chest, consuming his skin in fiery passion. Their tops were carelessly strewn onto the carpet floor. He tangled his fingers in the silver locks of the older man's hair as Sephiroth loosened the belt on his pants, and Cloud turned to gaze at the TV. I Love Lucy was on. Voices blared from the television set._

_Yes…yes. Leon's firm hands wandering the plain of my stomach._

_Lucy had done something that Ricky specifically told her not to._

_Leon's hands caressing my arousal._

"_Ahhhh, Luuucy!!" Ricky shouted in aggravation._

_Leon's tongue lapping at my…ahh…ahhh…_

"_Wahhhh!" Wailed Lucy from the television._

It was all he could do from moaning Leon's name.

--------------

Again, sorry for this chapter. Somehow I felt it wasn't as good as it could've been. If you're displeased, feel free to rally up an angry mob and come after me with torches! Tell me all your thoughts!

Edit: I just realized that I uploaded the wrong file and it was missing a few sentences and improvements...sorry! But here it is now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title**: Priceless

**Summary**: Leon is a freshman in college with dyslexia, and his new Victorian Literature professor, Dr. Sephiroth, doesn't make things any easier for him. Desperate to help, Cloud considers Sephiroth's offer to pass Leon, but not without a price from Cloud. LC, RS, SephyCloud

**A/N:** Merry early Christmas, guys! I made it a bit longer as a treat to all the readers who enjoy this fic! Thanks for your support!

---------------------------------

"…And THEN, I scored the winning goal! It was pretty sweet. Now even the captain acknowledges me!"

Cloud groaned. "Sora…not now. I have such a headache."

"Hey, let the kid gloat. He deserves it." Riku came up from behind Sora and nipped at his ear.

"Not in front of my brother, Riku!" Sora pulled away, annoyed. "I have to find Selphie and tell her anyway." He left the room, leaving Riku to stare at a depressed Cloud.

"So…how's life?" The silver-haired boy ventured.

"Wonderful." The blonde replied dully.

"Oh yea? Sure looks to be that way." Riku opened the case he had in hand and pulled out his prized trumpet. A jazzy blues tune began flowing lazily down the dorm halls.

"Are you begging for money or what? I said I had a headache. My head is _throbbing_." Cloud sat up and crossed the room, clutching onto the sides of his head.

"Alright, alright. Geez, if you can't appreciate some background music." Riku put his trumpet away.

Reaching into the refrigerator, Cloud pulled out a carton, plopping down on his bed and curling up against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Riku asked idly.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Who eats ice-cream in the winter?"

Cloud shoved a spoonful of the cold treat into his mouth. "It makes me feel good." He muttered.

Riku raised an eyebrow. "Sex feels good. Does that mean you should go around screwing any who's willing?" Riku pointed out.

The blonde threw a venomous glare at the silver-haired boy. "Shut the hell up."

"Getting a bit touchy there aren't you?" Riku teased. "Is there something that I should know about?"

Cloud stood up.

"Hmm, perhaps you're screwing around with someone on the side?" Riku speculated. "Is Leon not doing his part? He ought to know better, huh? It's alright Cloud. I'll have a nice long chat with—!"

Blood trickled freely from his nose, as Riku clung to his right eye, which was smarting sharply with pain.

"Cloud? Riku?" Leon had just returned to the room, glancing at a seething Cloud and an equally irate Riku.

"Shit, Cloud. What the fuck was that for? Can't you take a goddamn JOKE?" Riku retorted, standing up abruptly while messily wiping the blood from his nose.

"Well then let me do you a favor and tell you that you're not funny."

"Fuck yo—."

"Riku…" Leon's voice interrupted firmly. "Don't provoke him. You know he's not feeling well."

Riku stormed out of the room, still clutching to his nose, with a nasal, "Hmph."

Cloud slumped back down on the bed, ignoring the melting carton of ice cream which he had set aside on the edge of his desk. Leon sat down next to him and awkwardly reached up to brush a strand of hair that had strayed out of position.

"What did Riku say to you?" Leon asked softly. Cloud only looked away with downcast eyes. "Well, doesn't matter. Let's just forget about it, alright?"

Warm lips found themselves tracing the surface of Cloud's features. His breathing hastened.

"Don't…" The blonde sniffed. "You'll get sick too."

Leon smirked as he traveled down the vulnerable skin of the neck, stopping at the collar bone. "I would suffer a worse predicament if you asked me to stop now." Cloud breathed in sharply as Leon briefly sucked on the tender skin before kissing him on the corner of his mouth and drawing back. "But you need to rest."

Cloud slowly smiled. "You're so cute when you want to be." He remarked slyly. Leon tossed the comforter at the blonde's head. Cloud made himself comfortable and shifted onto his side, facing the wall.

Moments later, tranquil, heavy breaths set the rhythm of the room. It was only then that Leon noticed the puddle that had formed beneath the carton of vanilla ice cream.

----------------

A few weeks later…

"So basically, the protagonists always win out in the end." Zidane was sitting against the oak tree with a notebook resting on his lap. The air was a bit chilly, and it had him breathing into a scarf.

Leon nodded. "They tended to be rather picturesque. Hard work and perseverance is all you needed, apparently." He was wearing his normal clothes and didn't seem cold at all, except for the pair of leather gloves he sported on each hand.

"And at the end of the day, the bad guys are punished, the good guys end up with their true love, and all is gay and well." Cloud yawned, trying to snuggle his way into Leon's neck.

"Well, that's how it mostly was up to the point that Dickens died." Leon pointed out, while pushing the blonde away.

Zidane frowned, deciding to ignore the two. "And somehow, this was supposed to help you become a good Victorian."

"Sure. It encourages morals and work ethic, I guess." Discouraged by Leon's actions, Cloud scribbled some notes down as he shrugged.

"Well screw that. I don't think any of us are that naïve." The agile, dirty-blonde haired boy jumped up and stretched. "Time for our _favorite_ class."

As Sephiroth walked around the room, lecturing to the class, Cloud did his best to avoid eye contact with the professor. Even as he felt the ominous presence halt next to him and continue to lecture, he stared down intently at his notes.

"Sex scandal is a Victorian phenomenon, but anyone within range of the mass media today needs hardly be told that it is not only Victorian." His voice echoed through the silent lecture hall.

A hand casually rested on the edge of Cloud's desk. Mindlessly, blue eyes wandered to glance at the clean and neatly trimmed nails.

"For example, what if I were to tell you that Mr. Strife and I were in an affair?" Sephiroth reached to cup Cloud's chin suggestively before letting go. Several students sniggered. "Even if, as we often imagine, we have become inured to hearing news about sex, we are still shocked—or, at least, we are told that others are shocked—by sexual disclosures. Media reports insist that the public is outraged by the revelation of sexual secrets not necessarily because…"

Cloud remained stunned for the remainder of the class, dumbfounded towards Sephiroth's shamelessness. Once or twice, he met eyes with Leon for a fleeting moment before looking away. He could tell that Leon was irritated—not with him, but with Sephiroth.

As the class concluded, Sephiroth began handing back papers. Nervously, Cloud peered over at Leon as he received his assignment.

"A-." Leon mouthed to himself, a bit surprised.

Relief whelmed up inside of Cloud. He could tell that the brunette was pleased with himself.

Cloud found a paper placed on his desk and his spirits were dampened. The grade was not important. What was written under it was.

_I wish to discuss something with you after class. Please see me._

"Let's go." He looked up to find Leon waiting next to him. Instantly, he felt his insides begin to wither.

"Sephiroth wants to see me about something." He said, giving Leon a helpless look. Hostility flamed up behind those grey, turbulent eyes. "It probably won't be for long. We can still eat lunch together. I'll meet you back in our room, okay?"

Hesitantly, Leon agreed and began to leave. Cloud watched as the brunette's slender form, clad in black leather, stepped out of the room. Sighing to himself, he stood up and headed for Sephiroth's office down the hall.

Turning the knob, he opened the door and stepped in, finding himself slammed against the door in no time, shutting it in the process. Sephiroth slowly closed in Cloud's lips, his hands inching up the sides of Cloud's hips, and his eyes filled with greedy lust. Their lips briefly and lightly touched before Sephiroth backed away.

"Just kidding." He said with a chuckle. Cloud remained glued to the door as he tried to comprehend what had just happened. "Did I scare you too much, perhaps? You're as a pale as a ghost."

"What do you want, Sephiroth?"

Half an hour later, Cloud found himself staring at Sephiroth's house once again. Only this time, there were little Christmas lights strung around the rooftop and bushes. Some candy canes lined the sidewalk.

"Zack put those up." Sephiroth noted. "I would never waste my time on such nonsense."

The two entered the house, and instinctively, Cloud headed for the living room. During the past few weeks, he had been here numerous times, and Sephiroth had not once made any sexual advances since the first. Usually, they would enjoy a meal or two, talk, or watch something on television. Whatever they did, Cloud found it odd and slightly unnerving that he was holding such normal activities with Sephiroth.

_But then again, he's only human and humans need to eat_. Cloud thought, as a spoonful of soup entered his mouth.

_And…humans need to piss, too._ Cloud contemplated, as he witnessed Sephiroth entering the bathroom.

"What do you think?" Sephiroth asked, as he sat down across from Cloud.

"Hm?" Sephiroth motioned towards the small plates of food sitting before them. "Oh, it's good, as usual." Cloud said truthfully.

"You know," Sephiroth sighed exasperatedly. "As a scholar of English, I wish you'd eradicate such words from your vocabulary."

"Oh come on, Sephiroth! Who the hell uses 'eradicate' in daily speech." Cloud rolled his eyes. "It's just how we talk nowadays. Speech is different from writing."

"Perhaps so, but it may also indicate your education. They say that the youth are degenerating." Sephiroth as he brought a fish ball to his mouth.

"Yea? And who's they?" The blonde munched on some broccoli. Sephiroth shrugged. "So you _are_ full of bs."

"Once in awhile, when it's unavoidable." Sephiroth replied in good humor.

A ring tone interrupted their lunch, causing Sephiroth to reach into his pocket and pick up the call.

"Hello?" Came his smooth voice. He stood up and paced around for a few minutes, as Cloud glanced up at him between every few bites. He watched as those fine silver eyebrows wrinkled in displeasure and intense emerald eyes grew hard and cold. The delicate lips were cruel and slightly pink against his pale skin. Flipping the phone shut, Sephiroth turned to Cloud. "It's unfortunate, but I'll have to run out for awhile."

"Should I leave too?" Cloud asked, standing up.

"No. I'll be back soon enough." The blonde sat back down as he watched Sephiroth prepare to leave. "Oh, one more thing." Sephiroth came towards Cloud and captured his chin in one hand, bending down to press his lips to Cloud's. He could feel a tongue intrude, exploring the crevices of his mouth. Cloud submitted without a struggle, and if there was anything that Sephiroth could do, he could force a response out of the spiky-haired young man. Cloud had only begun to move his lips against Sephiroth's when the tall man pulled back and smiled thinly. "There was broccoli between your teeth." He pointed out, and left.

Slightly embarrassed, Cloud quickly finished up and brought his dishes and silverware to the sink, running them under water. He stepped into the bathroom to check his teeth to make sure there was nothing there. After having thoroughly examined his teeth, he wondered about what he was to do before Sephiroth returned.

He caught sight of the stairs and he stood at the bottom, staring up into the abyss of the unknown. Why not explore a bit?

Cloud made his way up the stairs, enjoying the feel of the thick carpet under his toes. There were three closed doors in the small hallway upstairs. He decided to open the first door on the right.

"Hm…a guest room?" Cloud guessed, as he looked about the barren room with nothing but a bed and a dresser. He closed the door and checked the next room. It appeared to be a study that had not been in use for awhile. There were piles of books and papers on the desks that overflowed onto the floors. Closing the door once again, Cloud frowned as he walked towards the remaining room. _I thought Zack was living with him._

He entered the last room to find that it was more spacious than the previous two. There was a king-size bed on one side of the room and on the opposite side, it was lined with mirrors the spanned the entire width and length of the wall. There were two walk-in closets, both filled with clothes and there was also a decent-sized bathroom with two sinks, a Jacuzzi and a shower stall.

He blushed as he came to the conclusion that Sephiroth and Zack must have been sleeping in the same room. The size of the bedroom and the bed itself was enough evidence. _Does this mean they're lovers?_ Cloud frowned, as he looked about in drawers. Sephiroth and Zack didn't seem to like keeping any pictures around.

He sat down on the bed, and eventually laid down on it, feeling the surface of the black, cool comforter against his face. It was soft, and it smelled clean. Cloud wondered about the sort of activities that went on in this particular bed. He could hear the clock mounted on the wall, steadily announcing the seconds as they ticked by. Lost in comfort, a wave of lethargy overtook his senses, and he decided to lie on his back for a few more minutes.

Just a few more minutes…

When Cloud awoke, he propped himself up on his elbows, confused over where he was. It was Sephiroth that jolted him out of a sleepy daze, as Cloud felt himself being pushed back down onto the comforter.

"Really, Mr. Strife. The positions you put yourself in…" Sephiroth murmured as he kissed the side of Cloud's neck.

Damn. He was right. The bed was possibly the worst and most suggestive place that Cloud could have been. He turned his head away and caught the sight of his reflection in the mirror—a reflection of Sephiroth hovering over his body like a predator and relishing in his catch.

Cloud closed his eyes. He didn't want it again. He didn't want Sephiroth's hands wandering past the waistline of his pants. Lightly, he pushed the man's hands away and tried to sit up.

"It's…kind of late." Cloud said. And this was true, as it was already dark outside. Sephiroth's eyes remained on him like vigilant cat.

"So it is." He did not budge.

"So…I should really be getting back." Cloud ran a hand through his blonde hair, attempting to tidy up. Finally, Sephiroth climbed off of him and Cloud swung his legs over the edge of the bed, standing up. "Do you uhm…do you and Zack sleep in the same room?"

The silver-haired man merely looked at Cloud. "Yes, we do. Does it disturb you?"

"No, not particularly…I guess. It would just be weird if we…you know…on this bed."

Smirking knowingly, Sephiroth dismissed the subject. As Cloud left the house, he saw that the Christmas lights were now lit up, illuminating the house in the dimness of the night.

----------------

Leon turned as he heard the doorknob turn. Cloud walked in, dumping his schoolbag on the ground. He looked up to see Leon glancing blankly at him.

"Oh…ohhh." Cloud groaned. "Shit. I'm so sorry, Leon."

"What happened, Cloud? Don't tell me Sephiroth kept you for this long."

"No, he didn't." Cloud said quickly. "It was just that…I had something to do."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Way to keep secrets. It's not the first time you've blown me off, you know? Why do you disappear for hours at a time like this?"

"Look, I'm sorry, babe." Cloud crossed the room and cupped Leon's face in his hands, kissing him on the forehead.

Leon sighed. "That doesn't make up for anything. What kind of a conclusion am I supposed to draw from all this, other than the obvious?"

Blue eyes widened. "I'm not cheating, Leon." The blonde said seriously.

"Then I don't understand why it still seems like you're trying to hide something. What am I to think?" The brunette took Cloud's hand.

"I promise, it's nothing." Cloud insisted softly.

Leon was at conflict with himself. Knowing the blonde's character, he knew that Cloud was not one to lie or be unfaithful, yet his behavior was suspicious. The problem was that if he was doing neither of those things, what was he doing then?

"I don't know, Cloud." Leon said thoughtfully. "For one thing, when did you start wearing cologne?" Cloud was startled. Apparently there were traces of Sephiroth's scent on his clothes and his skin. Leon frowned when Cloud was slow to answer. "I think…that I need some time alone. Either that, or you come clean." He released Cloud's hand and turned to stare at his laptop.

Backing away, Cloud knew that he couldn't reveal anything to Leon, but he also had no other explanation to present. His hesitation had already planted serious doubt in Leon and he knew that it gnawed away at the brunette.

"Leon…you know that I…that I really like you, right? I'd never hurt you on purpose."

"I know, Cloud." Leon replied quietly.

Before he knew it, Cloud had left the room. Leon was left to ponder over Cloud's words.

Unsure of where to turn, Cloud was drawn to the sound of classical guitar tunes that drifted from down the dim hall. He walked towards it and found Demyx sitting out in the hallway and strumming on his prized guitar.

"Hey Cloud." The blonde-haired youth greeted casually. Cloud slid down against the wall to sit down across from Demyx.

"Hi." He said glumly.

"You okay?" Demyx asked, as he continued to play.

"No, not really." Cloud admitted.

"Well uh…maybe some music will do you good." Demyx suggested.

"Demyx!" Cloud said all of a sudden, half-scaring the musician. "I'm trying to do something to help someone I really like…but I can't tell them what I'm doing, or else it'll really upset them. But if I stop doing it, that person might suffer. I feel like what I'm doing is really wrong, though."

"Huh? Wuh? Wait, say that again?" Demyx was thoroughly perplexed.

"I don't know what to do, Demyx. It's really driving me insane! You always see these kinds of situations on soap operas or dramas…and you always think to yourself, 'Damn! That girl or guy is such an idiot! Why can't they just confess? It's not that hard!' You never actually think it'd happen to you in real life though. It's definitely harder to be in the situation than to be on the outside observing it." Cloud leaned his head against the wall.

"Hmm, well. That sounds like a real tough one. Sorry, man. I don't watch soap operas, so I don't think I can help you there." Demyx said regretfully. "If it helps, I've seen lots of rock band interviews. They always talk about how nervous they are before their first show but when once they get out there, they just rock it all out!"

"Uh…it didn't really have anything to do with what I was talking about, but thanks, Demyx." Cloud said. He stood up and pointed at Demyx's room. "Do you mind if I sleep over in your room tonight?"

"Hm…well, sure why not? Axel and Roxas are in there studying right now though, so just be quiet."

Cloud opened the door to find Axel diligently studying the anatomy of Roxas, kissing each body part as he passed by it. The pair looked up.

"Uh…sorry?" Axel offered, as Demyx was horrified to discover that the two were on his bed.

Leaving the three to argue, Cloud made himself comfortable on the ground, preferring to steal Demyx's spare pillow and blankets over Axel's. He fell asleep to the sound of indistinct voices that swirled around and over his head.

----------------

The next morning, Cloud had just taken a shower and returned to his room. After all, he still needed his own clothes and all. He briefly met eyes with Leon when he came into the room before looking away. Leon's gaze lingered, however, as Cloud had nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

Cloud stood innocently before the mirror, tending to his hair.

_I know he's not trying to tempt me…He's too naïve to think of that_. Leon tried to look away.

Minutes later, Cloud found a pair of hands wrapped around his waist. He looked at Leon in the mirror, who was leaning over his shoulder.

"Does this mean you're not upset, anymore?" Cloud questioned.

"I thought about it for a bit. And you're right. I know you'd never try to hurt me. You don't have it in you to hurt _anyone_." He paused. "Except for Riku, maybe, but that's understandable." He joked, nuzzling Cloud in the neck. "I won't ask anymore questions for now, but I hope you know what you're doing."

Cloud turned his head to meet with Leon's lips. He would never have Leon find out about Sephiroth, he resolved. The semester would conclude soon. Leon would receive a decent grade. And that would be the end of it.

Leon pulled Cloud backwards, leading the blonde towards his bed. Cloud found himself on his back, only this time, it was truly Leon who was kissing him. There was no need to pretend.

Cloud took one of Leon's gloved hands and pulled the leather glove off, kissing Leon's bare fingers, and then placed two fingers in his mouth, sucking at them gently. Highly aroused, Leon was driven by his hormones to pull at the towel wrapped around Cloud's hips.

"Ah…wait!" Cloud protested. Leon stopped.

"If you're not ready…" Cloud blushed hotly, and the brunette kissed him with assurance.

"Sort of…but also…it's just…I don't want to be the only one with nothing on…"

Leon slipped out of his black shirt and removed his belt. The leather pants took awhile to pull off, but it was soon accomplished, leaving Cloud to stare obscenely, as it was the first time that he hadn't seen Leon without anything on. It was always very clear as to how well-endowed Leon was, however, with or without the tight leather pants.

"You don't wear anything under those pants." Cloud remarked.

"Is that so wrong?" Leon smirked as he dove to access what was beneath Cloud's towel.

Although it had only been one experience with Sephiroth, Cloud was able to compare the two. Leon enjoyed taking his time, and with each touch, kiss or lick, it would leave his skin in flames. His slowness showed sensitivity, passion that was held back for Cloud's sake, but barely—it was almost artful.

Cloud's fingers clawed into the muscles in Leon's back, which rippled as Leon moved his head back and forth, causing Cloud to arc his back sharply with every movement. He pulled him closer—Cloud, desperate with need, and Leon, desperate to fulfill it.

The game quickly ended, leaving Leon to lick his fingers. Cloud made a face.

"You're quite a pervert. I can't believe you'd actually swallow that stuff."

Leon rolled his eyes. "I'm just trying to keep my sheets clean. Besides, you don't even know what it tastes like."

"And I'd rather not." Cloud replied, as he rested his hands on the part of Leon that was throbbing with want. He pressed his lips against it and opened his mouth to engulf it, only to fail.

"My mouth is too small." Cloud complained.

"No, I'm just too much of a man for you to handle." The brunette was amused.

Meanwhile, a certain silver-haired man was on his way to interrupt the sexual antics of the pair.

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Chapter 5 finished! I would REALLY love some feedback and know what you guys are thinking. Did you enjoy it? Is there something that you don't like or wish for me to improve? Reviews are also very motivating, as you writers must know, so it would be awesome if you would do just that.

Just to make one thing clear, Cloud is still a virgin. Perhaps I was a bit subtle about it, but if you go back and read the SephyxCloud scene, Sephy is basically giving Cloud a blowjob. xD More to be explained in the next chapter!

I would also just like to cite part of Sephiroth's lecture about scandals. It's from: wwwvictorianweborg/genre/literaryovhtml

Lastly, I have a newly released KH fic out called **Melodrama Queen**. So if you any of you like AxelxRoxas, please do check it out.

- EDIT: Demyx's hair color corrected. Thanks to kamakazi-watermelons--nice catch! I must've been thinking about his blue guitar. : )

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!


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